


Under New Stars

by AdelenMontgomery



Series: Here We Go Again [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:47:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24248299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdelenMontgomery/pseuds/AdelenMontgomery
Summary: With the Convergence underway, the threat of Thanos still looms overhead; and Miranda must find a way to navigate a universe much larger than anyone expected.A continuation of my "If Only" series rewrite.
Relationships: Loki (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Here We Go Again [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1374973
Comments: 4
Kudos: 3





	1. Vinur

**Author's Note:**

> An introduction to Miranda's life on Asgard.

The universe was far from peaceful but for the moment, the chaos of the Nine Realms and beyond seemed to avoid Asgard. There would come a time, perhaps soon, perhaps not, that it would come to this golden city with its magnificent halls. But it hadn’t yet, and that was enough to lull Miranda into some kind of peace.

Of all the things that Miranda had seen and experienced on Asgard, the strangest, somehow, was the lack of seasonal change. The Bifrost was a stunning feat of engineering; they had flying chariots; the citadel itself towered over any man-made structure on Midgard and shone like a golden beacon into the abyss that surrounded the floating isle. The people themselves were this odd and fascinating blend of far-flung future and familiar Viking culture that kept Miranda on her toes, never quite sure what to expect. The library held more tomes than she could read in a hundred lifetimes, and the ones she did read were mindblowing. All this wonder, and it was the lack of seasons that threw her the most.

As time went on, it had gotten a bit chiller. Miranda found herself wearing a shawl through most of the day and closing the doors to the balcony at night to keep out the chill. But if she sat in the sun long enough she would start to sweat and the shawl would get unpinned and set on whatever surface was nearby.

Which is what happened already this morning. Miranda wiped her brow with the back of her hand before she set back to work waulking wool with the group of women she had become friends with in the last two months. They sang as they worked, a jaunty tune about some hero Miranda hadn’t been familiar with before they taught her the song. Their voices rose up from the table in the open courtyard to drift into the open doorways and windows of the surrounding buildings. Occasionally someone from inside could be heard as they sang along, their voices clearer as they passed through the courtyard to go somewhere else.

The sun was high and bright in the sky, though the two moons could still be seen. The thump of the wool kept time as Ása, an older woman with graying hair and silvery eyes, sang the lyrics and the rest of them joined in for the refrain. It was idyllic in a way that Miranda had never expected. In some ways it reminded her of home, which she supposed is why she had cautiously entered into this sisterhood. The simplicity of rural life seemed to transcend cultures and planets.

The only thing that ruined the peacefulness of the moment was the golden-armored guard that stood a few yards away to keep an eye on Miranda.

“Þórbjorg,” Ása said after she finished her song, “sing us that song of yours again.” The other women nodded and eagerly chattered amongst themselves.

Miranda smiled, both from the nickname and the support of her friends. They always asked her to sing it at least once when they got together no matter what they were doing. She knew other songs, they knew she knew other songs — but this was by far the favorite. With a sparkle in her eye, she sang. “Well, a Scotsman clad in kilt left a bar one evening fair; and one could tell by how he walked that he’d drunk more than his share; and when he found that he could no longer keep his feet; he stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street.”

They joined in for the chorus: “Ring-ding-did-a-little-la-di-oh, Ring-di-diddly-eye-oh; he stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street.”

As the song went on, the youngest among them, Unnr, blushed but still sang. Of the seven of them, she was the only one that wasn’t wed or a mother.

Together, the group sang the last line as loud as they could before they dissolved into laughter. Miranda clutched at her side as she felt a small flurry of kicks, a sensation that was as strange now as it had been when it first happened.

“Midgardians have a very… dirty humor,” Svanhildr said. Her chin was raised high, as though she were above such things.

Miranda rolled her eyes. Svanhildr looked middle-aged but that didn’t help Miranda know how old she was (hell, Unnr looked about the same age as herself, but so did Thor and Loki). All the same, Miranda knew that look — she’d seen it on plenty of church ladies’ faces.

“Well, with such short lives we at least remember what humor is,” Miranda said.

Svanhildr glared down the table at her as the others laughed.

Miranda winked and started a new song. “Oh, what do we do with a drunken sailor, what do we do with a drunken sailor, what do we do with a drunken sailor early in the morning?”

When they finished waulking the wool, Miranda scrubbed the scent of ammonia off her skin as best she could. The others stood around the washbasin and scrubbed at their own skin, still laughing and chatting. Miranda joined them, her heart light and laugh bright. Though she kept glancing at the guard. She didn’t want to leave yet but knew it was time. Odin didn’t trust her to wander freely.

The citadel rose high above the city streets; all Miranda could see ahead of them as they travelled was its golden walls. Behind them, the city sprawled out as a patchwork of roofs and open spaces with the occasional fleck of green. Farther beyond were the mountains, the last edge before the horizon. Miranda leaned on the edge of the hover-chariot and watched the mountains shrink as they returned to the citadel.

Miranda had every intention to colister herself away in her room with the arcane books she’d taken from the library. She’d already learned a few new tricks that would come in handy someday, and from what she knew of Thanos, she knew she would need them. It was slow work to build her own spellbook. The runes were similar to what she knew but they always seemed to swim before her eyes in an attempt to become English words. Her notes, written in an old code that she and her best friend had invented back in grade school, were nearly as incomprehensible.

But the impending headache was forgotten the moment she saw Thor down the hall. She hurried over to him as fast as she could and called out to grab his attention. He turned toward the sound of his name and relaxed. The stature of the general dropped and faded the closer Miranda came.

“You’re already back from Vanaheim?” she asked. “I thought you would be gone longer.”

“As did I, but they surrendered quickly after I defeated their champion,” he said with an easy grin. “Hogun has remained to ease the transition back to peace.”

Miranda nodded. “Good to hear. Have you heard anything about… since we last spoke?”

Thor shook his head. “No. Perhaps my brother could help us learn more.”

“I’m not stopping you from speaking to him.” Miranda flexed her jaw and took a deep breath. “Though I know you want me to accompany you.” She met his eye.

“I would not ask you to do anything you do not wish to,” Thor said. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Though I must admit, he does not seem willing to speak to me on such matters.”

Miranda chewed on her tongue. “Then maybe I have to. I’ve asked the librarian for more books but…” She shook her head. “He said they were restricted tomes. If you could try to get them, I’ll go speak with him.”

Thor nodded and patted her shoulder. “Then I shall meet you tonight to share our findings.”

*****

The force field emitted a low whine that Miranda could feel more than she heard it. She took a deep breath and looked at everything but him, unsure if she could actually carry through with her mission. The last time she had spoken to him, she had slapped him and told him that it was within her power to kill him. And now she had to have a civil conversation with him.

Miranda mumbled a few words under her breath as she stared at his back. For a moment, it didn’t seem like anything had changed. Then she felt the spell take hold. As she stepped forward to stand next to the force field, Miranda swallowed around the bitter taste in her mouth — but he had charmed her first and over something far less important.

Miranda cleared her throat. Loki glanced over his shoulder, surprised to have a visitor, then turned to fully face her. Miranda passively glanced around the cell for a moment. A small stack of books sat on the table near the single chair. There was a bed. Another table with some fruit was pushed up against the wall.

“Cozy,” she said as she looked back at him. “They seem to be treating you well.”

“Captivity leaves much to be desired,” Loki said.

“Hm,” Miranda said and held back a retort. “I have some questions for you, and you’ll answer them as truthfully as you’re able. No lies, no tricks. You’ll tell me everything you know.”

Once he nodded, she began to question him. There wasn’t much he hadn’t told her already, it seemed, but the information that was new shook Miranda’s core. For one thing, there was still an Infinity Stone on Earth somewhere. Including the one on Miranda’s wrist, there were at least two on Asgard. The whereabouts of the others were only theorized but Thanos had people looking for them. One of them was his own daughter.

And Thanos already had what was perhaps the most important piece of his plan: the Infinity Gauntlet. With it, he could harness the power of the stones and alter the state of the universe on a whim.

“And where is he?” Miranda asked. “Do you know?”

Loki shook his head. “His homeworld, to my knowledge, was destroyed. He has a ship but it could be anywhere.” His shoulders rose a moment like he took too deep a breath. He grinned, slow and icy. “You little fox,” he said, “you charmed me.”

“I took a page out of your book,” Miranda replied. “We’re more alike than I think either of us would care to admit. But, since that’s worn off, I guess I’ll be going. I’d say it was nice speaking with you but that’d be a lie, so.” She shrugged and turned to leave.

“Wait.”

Miranda paused but did not turn around. The silence hung heavy between them. She shook her head. “So much for that silver tongue.”

“It has never done me much good with you. I believe Midgardians call it ‘tongue-tied.’”

“What is it you want to say?”

“I don’t want this to be the last conversation we have with each other.”

“If the only thing I can do to hurt you is stay away, then that’s what I’m going to do.” She had hardly finished when she began to walk away. She heard him call after her; she ignored him. Out of his sight, Miranda leaned heavily against the wall for a moment and rubbed her hands over her face. It was all too much, too little.

Emotions churned in her chest. White-hot anger and sparkling fear and deep, aching pity and quiet, fluttering love all turned and whirled around inside of her. Each caught her attention for a moment before the next pushed it aside only to be pushed aside in turn.

The walk back to her rooms was slow and long.

*****

Miranda leaned back in her chair and rubbed her eyes. Thor had managed to get the books with little issue and they had spent the last several hours reading through them. It was boring, tedious, dreary work. They found little that was worth their time: all legend and speculation. Miranda hadn’t thought she would have to parse history from legend and myth on Asgard of all places, though the irony wasn’t lost on her. She was on a planet that had been left to myth even though it was very real. (Though could it really be called a planet? It was more like an island in space.)

The only thing that they had found of note was something called the “Aether;” but that was neither here nor there. It was hidden under Asgard by Thor’s grandfather and was an artifact of terrible power, that they were sure of, but it was unclear if it had any relation to the Infinity Stones.

“Loki had said there were at least two on Asgard,” Miranda said. “There’s the Tesseract and mine, so maybe the Aether is the third. I mean, it’s not like we really know what any of them  _ do _ .”

“Aye. We should search for the Aether so we know where it is; then we might protect it better,” Thor said. “Though I must admit I do not know where to start.”

Miranda hummed. She stared at the ceiling for a minute. “Would Heimdal?”

“Perhaps. I shall ask him on the morrow,” Thor said as he pushed to his feet. “But for tonight, it is late. You should rest.” He patted her shoulder.

Miranda nodded and got up from her own chair. She rubbed her face as she swayed slightly on her feet. “Yeah,” she sighed, “that sounds like a good idea.”

Thor took his leave and closed the door behind him. As the thud of the door faded from her ears, Miranda wandered over to her changing screen to change into her nightgown. Barefoot, she padded around the room to snuff the various candles and lanterns. Bit by bit, the room dimmed until only the soft glow of the fire remained.

From her window, Miranda had a wide view of the stars. She wondered, not for the first time, and not for the last, if she could see her own sun from where she stood; which tiny speck was proof of… life? her existence? She wasn’t sure what she was looking for. She wasn’t sure she’d want to find it if she did.


	2. Mørke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Convergence is underway, and with it comes Jane Foster. Within hours, Asgard is under attack. So, naturally, Miranda helps Thor commit treason. She's left wondering, however, if it was worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It's been ages, and I blame quarantine depression. But I've finally finished this chapter, and I hope to have the next one soon (I'm hoping this wave of inspiration isn't short-lived). Until then, I leave you with this installment of Miranda's adventures.

To say meeting Jane Foster was unexpected would be an understatement. It was easier, somehow, to understand her babbling about the Convergence than it was to understand her presence — until Thor said that the Aether was inside her.

“Inside her? Where was it before?” Miranda asked in a hushed tone. She glanced around but only Jane and Frigga were nearby.

“I know not. Jane told me she traveled through one of the rifts created by the Convergence.”

“Great, um… well, I suppose we should be glad it was her, right? Rather than someone else?” She glanced toward Jane. “Do you trust her to guard it?” There was some irony, Miranda thought, in it being Jane to have found the Aether. They both were mortal women entrusted with powerful artifacts by circumstances beyond their control.

“It protects itself,” Thor said, “but I fear that it may harm her in the process.”

“I see.” Miranda fiddled with her bracelet. “So, we have to figure out how to get it out of her then.” She sighed. “I’ll entertain her; you go find out what you can.”

Thor nodded and strode away. Miranda watched him go for a moment before joining Frigga and Jane on the balcony.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Dr. Foster,” Miranda said. “Thor speaks highly of you.”

“He does?” Jane said. “Oh, and it’s nice to meet you, as well. You certainly made a lot of headlines in the last few months.”

Miranda hummed, tight-lipped. “I guess I have.” Her head spun as she tried to get a read on Jane. The Aether was interfering too much; though she doubted that Jane was hiding much more than how scared shitless she was.

“How about we get you something else to wear so you can blend in,” Frigga said, gently taking Jane’s arm. She gave Miranda a look as they walked away, one full of warning and understanding.

Miranda stood there for a moment and stared aimlessly over the railing. She took a deep breath. Jane’s situation was nothing like hers. Perhaps a little, though in opposite directions. Miranda was forced into a relationship but willingly took on the stone. Jane didn’t choose the Aether, but she chose Thor. And Thor chose her.

Miranda sighed. Her grip on the railing tightened, the stone cool and unyielding under her palms. “It’s just hormones,” she muttered to herself before she pushed away from the railing. She walked in the direction that Frigga had taken Jane. After all, she’d made a promise to Thor.

*****

The fountain gurgled behind them. Miranda and Jane sat on the edge and talked animatedly. What had started as stiff small talk had quickly devolved into discussing shared experiences, which led to Miranda sharing things she had learned on Asgard that might be of interest to Jane. And, of course, eventually, that led to talking about the Infinity Stones.

“I have a theory that these Infinity Stones all share a resonant frequency — if that’s what it’s called — and if that’s true —” Miranda said.

“Then we might be able to tune into it and use it to find other stones,” Jane finished.

Miranda nodded. “Exactly.”

“And with the Convergence, we could theoretically discover if they’re in one of the Nine Realms without having to jump between them,” Jane said, the wheels already turning in her head. “How many are there?”

“Six, though three are currently on Asgard and there’s one on Earth somewhere. So we’re really just searching for two.”

“I’d need access to my equipment but I could probably build something that could do that.”

Miranda smiled, excited to finally have a chance to narrow down the haystacks in this needle hunt. Her excitement was short-lived, however. Out of the corner of her eye, past Jane, Miranda saw a shimmer in the sky and a moment later a grey ship appeared. Her stomach dropped. “Jane.” She pointed.

“Oh, that can’t be good.”

The doors opened behind them. Miranda summoned the dagger she kept in a pocket dimension and hid it in the folds of her skirt. Frigga stepped into the room and closed the door behind her as alarms sounded throughout the city.

“They’ve come for the Aether,” Frigga said.

“Who’s ‘they?’” Miranda asked.

“I’ll explain later. Right now we need to make sure both of you are safe, there has been a breach in the prisons.”

“What?” Jane said, alarmed.

“There’s no time, quickly, in here,” Frigga said and ushered them both into a small side room. She told them her plan as fast as she could. There was no time to argue before she closed the door.

Miranda’s heart was in her throat as she focused on the illusion of herself in the other room. Her view was through a tiny sliver in the door, just enough so she could move the illusion in a way that looked real. She flinched when they broke in.

“Come on, come on, where’s the guards?” she said under her breath.

Miranda couldn’t see much but she heard everything: the blade sliding in, the thump of a body hitting the floor. She covered her mouth to smother the sudden urge to scream.

On the other side of the door, Thor yelled. There was a loud crackle as electricity burned through the air. Then silence. Slowly, Miranda rose to her feet and opened the door. The room seemed empty at first, aside from Thor on the balcony. The sharp burning smell of lightning lingered, almost strong enough to cover the metallic tang of blood.

Everything felt too loud and too quiet all at once.

*****

Jane was kept under guard after that. Miranda sat out in the garden for hours. It was under this tree that Frigga had taught Loki to conjure light as a child. It wasn’t her memory, Miranda knew, but the raw sting of grief made that detail insignificant. This was where she had learned to do magic, even if her physical body had been thousands of years and lightyears away.

Eventually, it grew dark. Miranda knew she should find something to eat but the very thought of food made her nauseous. Or, perhaps, she should be down at the shoreline with everyone else to watch the dead be sent off. She kept replaying it over and over in her mind, wondering if it would have made a difference if she had actually been in the room.

Thor sat down next to her before she realized he had even approached. He looked haggard, though Miranda knew that he had a plan. She watched him expectantly.

“Odin has said that no one is to pursue Maleketh,” he said after a moment.

Miranda grabbed his hand between both of hers and waited.

Thor looked her in the eye, more determined than she’d ever seen him. “It will be dangerous.”

“I know,” she said. She squeezed his hand. “Whatever it takes.”

*****

The table fell silent for a moment as they all took in Thor’s plan. Miranda waited for someone to object. No one did, and after a beat, they all left to put it into motion.

Which was how Miranda ended up in the ruins of the prison in front of Loki’s cell. Unless you knew better, it looked the same as it had a few days prior. But Miranda knew better. She sat on the steps closest to him.

The illusion shimmered and faded. Miranda kept her gaze level with his and ignored the destroyed state of the cell; though even out of the corner of her eye, she could tell a tornado would’ve been a gentler force of destruction. Now she could see him with her own eyes, how disheveled, tired, and angry he looked. The berry juice on his bare feet that looked like blood.

“So much for never seeing me again,” he said, the words sharp and meant to cut.

Miranda took a deep breath.

“I don’t need your pity,” he spat.

“That’s not why I’m here,” she said.

“Then why are you?”

“Thor asked me to come.”

Loki scoffed. “And why could my dear brother not come himself?”

Miranda rose to her feet. Her heart pounded in her chest as her hand reached out to touch the force field that kept him contained. She took a deep breath and held it, as though she were jumping into water, and stepped through. When she opened her eyes, he was on his feet in front of her.

“Because he can’t do that,” she said. She shivered, suddenly cold. “Odin forbade anyone to go after Maleketh, so, naturally, Thor’s going. He wants you to go with him.” Miranda looked up into his eyes. “He’s waiting for you upstairs.”

“He sent you to trade places with me,” Loki said. Miranda was surprised by the anger in his voice.

She frowned. “Would you rather I went with him?”

“No,” he admitted.

“Then take a good look,” she said as she spun around, “because you’re walking out of here looking like me.”

*****  
It was hours before anyone came by the cell. Miranda lay on the chaise lounge, the illusion of Loki draped over herself as she read. It faded before she could fully sit up.

On the other side of the force field, Thor avoided her gaze.

“Where is he?” she asked. They were supposed to come back so she and Loki could switch again. “Where is he?” she repeated, suddenly desperate.

Thor was silent as he turned the field off. Miranda walked over to him. He looked up at her as she approached.

“Did you stop Maleketh?”

“Yes.”

“And Jane?”

“She’s safe in London.”

Miranda nodded.

“I have already told Odin everything,” he said.

Miranda nodded again. It explained why he was here to release her.

Thor pulled a dagger out of his belt and handed it to her. It was light, with intertwined snakes twisting around the handle, one silver, one gold. “He would have wanted your child to have it.”

“What aren’t you telling me?” she asked.

“Odin has made arrangements for you to spend the next few months in the country. You’re to leave immediately.”

“No,” she said. “I’m staying for his funeral, I have every right to.”

“Odin disagrees,” Thor said, tired. He had tried to convince him on her behalf.

Miranda sighed. “Okay. You’ll visit me though, won’t you?”

“I will try.”

*****

It was a hunting lodge. The place she was sent. Miranda supposed it was fair enough since she had Odin had never gotten along well, though for Frigga (and perhaps for Loki) he had allowed her to remain in the citadel. But she knew full well he did not approve of bringing a Midgardian to Asgard, and she was an exception.

The style of the lodge was similar to a longhouse, though in layout only. The entry was in the middle and opened into the central hall. The hearth in the middle of the room was rectangular; a few finely carved benches were on either side. The walls, rather than simple wattle and daub, were painted over with hunting scenes with bright colors and gilding. Still, there were benches built into the walls, and the few servants that were to stay here quickly claimed one for their beds. There were two other rooms, one on each end. One was storage, and food and drink were being unloaded and taken in there.

The other room, traditionally, would have been a workshop for crafting or a loom. That was not the case here. It was a fine bedroom. There were fur rugs on the floor and furs on the ornately carved bed. Matching chairs sat in front of a private fireplace. A bookcase was built into one of the walls, and next to it was a small desk. A vanity and wardrobe took up most of the other. A low bench sat at the end of the bed. Aside from the size, it was similar to her chamber in the citadel.

This was where she was to stay for the rest of her pregnancy. Miranda sighed, irritated with herself for being upset about her predicament. Odin could have sent her back to Midgard, but he didn’t. Some warning would have been nice, however.

Miranda leaned on the doorway and watched everyone unpack. They were staying until the baby was born, then an additional forty days to make sure the baby was healthy. After that… no one was sure. Maybe she would be allowed to return to the citadel with the child, and be allowed to raise them here. Maybe she would be sent back to Midgard, and Odin would take her child from her. Maybe he would send both of them away. Maybe they would never be allowed to leave this lodge.

That was in the future. For now, Miranda decided to curl up against the headboard and study the snakes on the dagger hilt. It took her a long time to see it, the design swam before her eyes when she tried to focus on it, but eventually, it settled. On the head of each snake was a letter: on the gold,  _ L _ , and the silver,  _ M _ .

She wondered when he had it made. Or if the letters were something new. Had he put the letters there for his own sake, or was this made for their child? Was it for when the baby was born or was it to be their first weapon when they were old enough for such things?

Her parents always told her not to speak ill of the dead. Despite everything, Miranda decided she wouldn’t speak ill of him to their child. They would hear enough horrible things from everyone else.


End file.
